Slayer of Gods
by Umbrocity
Summary: Follow the story of an unwillingly evolved Umbreon named Umbra and his overjoyous co-traveler, Maya the Kirlia, as they search for Umbra's sister but get themselves messed up in much bigger business. During his journey Umbra learns the values of life, the importance of who he is and why he has become what he is now. Experience humor, romance, evil plots and more! Welcome!
1. Chapter 1: Rosedale Town

Good morning/day/noon/afternoon/evening/night, ladies and genst! Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? Almost a year, actually, since I last upfated my story, _Absolution. _In retrospect, I could have been a much better writer in that regard. But as my academic aspirations grew my writing passion diminished and so I was left with a lack of will to continue the story that I now wish to continue. But not quite yet, as I have another story in mind.

Those who took a liking to _Absolution_ and its characters and story (or however much of it was brought forth) will be glad to know that I plan on making the characters of this story just as, if not more, memorable. My writing has also taken a great upward spike in quality, as I have practiced on a game project I have been brewing up in my mind for a good half a year. But that story is not for this site, as I wish to dedicate this account to Pokémon!

Pokémon has always been a great passion of mine. But what I love about the series isn't the human characters' input, it's the Pokémon, as I'm sure the majority of the fan base thinks as well. Well, inspired by the loads of Mystery Dungeon fanfics I've been reading recently, I have found a new road of writing. One that I feel I would gladly walk until my feet, of fingers, rather, bleed. And so, I wish that you all bear with me as I put off the continue of _Absolution_ as I usher forth the birth of _Slayer of Gods_!

Chapter 1: Rosedale Town

Narration

"Talking"

_Thinking/Memories/Flashbacks_

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**Super Emphasis****  
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_"... Free us of his will, for we have no place in Hell. Just and mighty he is, with him we wish not dwell. In you we trust to keep us safe, to keep us from all harm. Thy heart will carry all our sins, you offer us your arm. Forgive us our weakness, for we don't know strength. But by thy command can mountains, wills and all Hell be bent. We ask you to salvage our poor, pain-filled souls. We love you, our God and lord, let thy word be told."_

... Those lyrics played again and again in his head as he sat in his large, comfy, mauve arm chair whose back was over-sized for such a small little creature. He bore a fancy, amaranth dress suit and shiny, prussian shoes. On his fingers glistened many, expensive-looking rings made of various precious metals such as gold, silver and even platinum, with diamond jewels to cherry the top. He held a half-full glass of red wine in his hand, slowly moving it around in a circle motion, bringing out the wine's aroma. He took a whiff, approved and took a sip, savoring its taste, and then he spat the wine into the fireplace, earning a satisfying hiss from the warm, comforting flames. He smirked, placing the glass on a nightstand next to his chair and clapped. This brought a very fetching female Pokémon in the room, dressed in a viridian dress. She was a Servine, carried a smirk typical of her species, and sat down gracefully on her husband's lap. They didn't meet each other's eyes, they didn't indulge in each other's company, and they didn't so much as greet each other. His hand snaked down her waist, stroking it gently. He finally, after what seemed like a half hour, turned his head to her and asked one question.

"Da'lin', how would you like if your precious ruled this 'ere world? You always were one for the powerful, weren't you?" His voice was raspy yet malicious, sounding like multiple voices were speaking at once. But the Servine grinned, staring her husband straight in the eye, the one eye he had left, and spoke.

"Dear Marlo, I would looooove nothing more." Her eyes had a sort of spiral shape to them, almost as if she was… Hypnotizing Marlo, who simply nodded and responded briefly.

"Well, then ma' dear Asper, tha'll be what you get. I'll make 'em pay for me lost eye, your sufferin' AND all they did to me work. Together, me love… We'll make 'em bow in fear." He cackled malevolently, joined by his wife's much more pleasant, albeit just as evil, bell chime of a laughter. Sometimes Marlo wondered how something so pretty in so many ways could also be so evil. But he didn't complain, oh no! Far from it, as one might imagine. The mansion they occupied echoed with laughter and cackle until midnight…

A lone Umbreon strode on the bank of a fast-flowing river, keeping his eyes peeled on the reflection of the moon the river cast. Umbreon have always been associated with the moon, but this particular specimen was always a bit more fascinated by it than the others. Not that he would know, he had never met another Umbreon, much less another Eeveelution. And as much as he would have like to be as lone as I said he was, the moment was soon bashed apart by…

"Hey! Umbra! Why would you walk off like that? It's rude, ya know, disappearing like that? Well, you do it all the time but it doesn't change the fact that you could get mauled by Rattata any second! Ooh, ooh! Or be taken away by a flock of Fletchling! Or, or, or even be eaten by land-drawn Carvanhas!" His talkative co-traveler, Maya the Kirlia. She and Umbra had traveled together since they were just Eevee and Ralts.

Maya in particular had always had a fascination towards Umbra, especially in his name. She had always said that there was really only one option when deciding what to evolve into because of his name. She said his parents must have been real control freaks if they had given their son such a limiting name. Until she found out about Umbra's past, that is. Nowadays that's the one topic she doesn't touch. Ever. And it's a good thing, too, since otherwise she'd have one more topic to talk about. Most of the time she would just remind Umbra of how he was so drastically different as an Eevee compared to what he is now.

"… And what's the big idea with those rings of yours? I've never seen an Umbreon but I don't think they're supposed to have that kind of ring design! Don't get me wrong, they're flippin' awesome but don't you feel all different and awkward when someone stares at you and…" She went on and on, getting no real acknowledgement from Umbra himself, who was too busy trying to blot out her irritating chatter by focusing on the moon. But even that was soon cut short when Maya got in his face.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" She crossed her arms and pouted, knowing full well that he wasn't. Umbra stuttered, not used to being put on the spot like this.

"Um… Well, I… I suppose I… I wasn't?" He blushed, but instead of his face turning red, it turned blue. A little special tidbit about shiny Umbreon, which Umbra was a representative of. Maya turned her back to him, obviously offended by her friend not listening to her when she was talking about extremely interesting topics. Umbra's ears drooped and he forced out an apology.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Maya. Ok? Just… Please stop this. I can't bear seeing you mad." Maya turned around, her face free of all negativity, smiling friendlily at Umbra, closing him in a tight snuggle.

"Ooooooh, how could I be mad at you? You're so fluffy and cute and adorable and I just want to put you in my pocket and feed you poffins and-"She was cut off by Umbra's struggling and pleas for air.

"Please… Maya, I need… Air…" She released him, smiling sheepishly at him, clearly apologetic for her little outburst of gushing. Umbra returned the smile, though, and they pushed on. The night had already fallen, as the aforementioned moon already implied, and the two were determined to find shelter for the night. Five consecutive nights in the woods under constant danger a lá wild Pokémon was not a very fetching thought. They had endured four, but they weren't eager to try their luck any further. Just as Umbra was about to give up, Maya spotted small spots of light in the distance.

"HEY! Look, Umbra! Light! There's light over there," She pointed at the opposite side of the river, seeing multiple sources of light, most likely being cast by open windows of a small riverbank town, "I'm sure they'll let us stay for the night if we ask them reeeeeeally nicely!" Umbra concurred, glad they had found a small glimmer of hope of a safe night's rest. They sped off in the town's direction and arrived at its gates in no time, thanks to a nearby bridge. Maya knocked on the large, wooden gates and soon enough a nigh guard arrived to open them. He looked at the young travelers.

"Name and business, both of you," he said with a visible, and audible, yawn. He held a spear twice his size and was wearing flimsy armor, probably thrown together with some duct tape and good faith. Having perfect eyesight in the dark, Umbra saw the face of a Riolu. He examined it further, noticing fresh, small scars on his cheeks. _This town was under attack recently_, Umbra mused. Maya was already stating way more than the guard had asked.

"… And we came from the West to find Umbra's sister and he is super pissed about her running away because he wuves her so much that I just couldn't bear to see him go alone and so I had to come along and-"she was once again cut off, this time by the guard holding his head, seemingly suffering from a headache caused by too much chatter.

"Stop, just… Just stop. Geez, for such a pretty voice you sure get on a guy's nerves quickly." She pouted at his comment, sticking her tongue out playfully. The Riolu rubbed the back of his head nervously and then turned to Umbra, who stiffened, hoping he hadn't noticed him scrutinizing him with his glowing red eyes, which were basically the only visible indication of him being there by that point.

"So… I take it you're Umbra, then? Your friend here told me that five times over. If you're traveling with her, you have my condolences. So what are you guys doing here this late?" He ignored Maya being offended by his comment on her insufferability, which she soon stopped after realizing he didn't pay attention to it.

"We're looking for shelter. We're just travelers who are looking for an… Acquaintance, I'll say. I wouldn't wish to reveal more than that. It's a personal matter, you see?" The Riolu nodded and Umbra sighed in relief, glad that Maya had given him a headache to block out all the information she had been spouting.

"Alright, I believe you. It's not like I could send you guys off into the cold night, I'd be heartless to do so. And this world has enough of those kinds of Pokémon, believe me. Just the ones who uphold this town are enough. I swear, the taxes just keep on getting stiffer and stiffer with every passing check I get…" the Riolu digressed. Then he shook his head to return to the moment and put on a friendly face.

"Welcome to Rosedale Town. I'm Scion. I'm one of the night guards of this place, as you probably already figured. Come in, come in! Don't want a Noctowl to just swoop in and snatch one of you, am I right? Yeah, I am. I think I'm right." Umbra and Maya followed Scion inside the borders of the town, indicated clearly by the thick logs creating a wall-like perimeter around it. When they passed through the town square, Umbra took glances here and there, analyzing the shops and facilities around him. Groceries, wares, weapons, a blacksmith's, and even a bank and a dojo. Umbra was impressed by what these people called "a town". Back where he came from a town was literally a small cluster of houses where one person kept a food stock. This was a big city in comparison.

They arrived at a small, inconspicuous house that Scion opened the door to and gestured them to enter. Maya was the first to oblige, Umbra following shortly and Scion, who closed the door, sighed with relief, the kind when you come home from a day of work that got extended WAY beyond your normal working hours. He shed the armor and hung it on a makeshift stand along with his spear, which he fumbled with and accidentally with his head with twice before setting it against the stand. He turned around, earning a puzzling gasp from Maya. Both Scion and Umbra turned to her in bewilderment.

"Ohmigosh! You have a gi-GANTIC wound on your chest!" She pointed at a medium-sized gash on Scion's chest that had small trails of blood flowing out of it. Scion shrugged at it.

"Meh, I have a high pain threshold. It'll heal with time, if I have any." But Maya would not have it. She may have been chatty but she was also the kindest person you would ever meet, even to those who threatened her, which got her in quite a lot of trouble. She grabbed Scion's wrist, dragged him to the couch and laid him on his back. He tried to get up but she forced him to stay down with her psychic power.

"Don't move. I'll take care of it," she said, talking now in a very soothing, comforting voice, a total contrast to her usual, frantic and slightly maniacal tone. Scion did not resist further, quite appreciative of her even trying to provide help with his battle wounds, as he was certain he would receive more shortly. So he let Maya work, closing his eyes and rather enjoying the calming feel of her Heal Pulse. Soon enough, he was back in prime shape. He leapt up off the couch and stretched his body, unknowingly showing his toned torso, earning him a rather… Flattering look from Maya, but he paid no mind to it as he was too tired to care about anything other than rest, and so was Umbra. They both yawned and Scion led Umbra to his room, the Maya to hers and then went to bed himself. Maya huffed and crossed her arms. "Boys…" She sighed and slumped down on the bed, soon drifting to sleep. But Umbra… He didn't catch sleep… Yet.

Umbra thought about the last few days, from the day "she" ran away from town, how he was about to set out to find "her" by himself, how Maya had gone crazy and had forced him to take her with him, how he had come to not regret the decision as much as he had imagined, how they had survived this long and how they were suddenly being hosted by a foreign Riolu who knew next to nothing about them. Umbra remembered Scion's face and how it was filled with scars. He had figured the village had been under attack recently, and Scion's mention of having a high pain threshold supported his argument. How else would he have gotten those scars? Especially the big one in his chest that Maya had healed. He would have to ask Scion about that tomorrow. For now, he was… He was… Oh, curse you, fatigue…

Umbra yawned and fell asleep, the stress and strain of these last few days having built up on him and finally having reached a point of exhaustion he could no longer bear. He snoozed peacefully, for once sleeping without being plagued by one of those nightmares Darklings were notorious of having. You know the one: blank background, pressure all around, shadows lurking around you, some evil entity trying to lure you into temptation and power that would ultimately lead to you murdering your loved ones… For once, Umbra didn't have to deal with that nightmare. For once, he could sleep in peace.

Morning came, and with it came the brilliant shine of the first beams of sunlight. They cast themselves through a mansion window, bathing the room's inhabitant with near-heavenly light. He grunted in aggravation and closed the silky, fuchsia curtains with an audible sigh. He was a scrawny little Pokémon, barely the height of his own bed. His cloth-like arms hung in front of him, almost like a zombie's and his zipper-like mouth curved into a frown. With an echoic voice, almost like multiple people were talking at once, he yawned, stretching his cloth-like body, but being a ghost, received no response from it.

"Heh, I don't know why I even try. The solids have it so much easier. That satisfying pop from your spine when you stretch… Oh, how I miss that. Oh well, off to break-", he was cut off as the door of his room was opened and a tall, slender Servine walked in with a full tray of breakfast. She spoke with a voice akin to a bell chime, a voice pure enough for a saint or even a goddess.

"Good morning, my love. Here's your breakfast in bed~", she chimed and set the tray on the bed, lifting her husband and placing him back on it as well. He frowned slightly.

"I can take care of my own breakfast, you know? Just because I'm a ghost doesn't mean I can't-", he was cut off again by a spoon feeding him delicious, oh-so-delicious yoghurt. The Servine looked her husband in the eye and suddenly his struggling seized. He sat there, seemingly satisfied, letting his wife feed him, wipe his mouth and clean up.

"Uh uh uh, honey. You ought to be more grateful for everything I'm doing for you. Nowadays women like me are hard to come by. All the females are about equality nowadays. Me, personally? I prefer to do everything as long as my dear husband does what I tell him to. Now please, if you would fill out these forms, please?" She dropped a large pile of papers on his desk, humming cheerily and was about to leave the room, but her husband spoke once more.

"But darlin', I can't just sit around the house doing nothing, can I?" His question seemed to anger her. She approached the bed, picked him up and looked him straight in the eye.

"Now, you listen here, you paltry Banette! You are to losten to me, not yourself!" Her eyes had a sort of spiral motion to them, which soon appeared in the Banette's eye as well. "You will do as I say, do I make myself clear?" Her voice had lost all softness and had now adopted a more aggressive tone, one you take when you command a disobedient subordinate. The Banette nodded, almost like he was forced to.

"Y-yes… Mistress Asper", he muttered, now floating towards the pile of papers. He sat down, picked up a pen and started writing, his face carrying almost an empty expression. Asper, the Servine, smirked and moved a stray strand of her hair aside. She was back to her elegant demeanor.

"Good boy. Now, don't work your hand off, dear Marlo. You'll need them in the future. Oh, and don't forget you'll be appearing later today~", she chimed and sauntered out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The Banette, Marlo, kept on writing.

"Yes… Mistress Asper…"

**So how was the first chapter of **_**Slayer of Gods**_**? I like to think it was pretty good, especially compared to my previous writing. Ooh, I'm getting excited! I have a lot planned for these characters and this story, so I suggest you stay tuned!**

**Lonely Riolu**


	2. Chapter 2: Eternal Life

**Chapter 2: Eternal life**

Narration

"Talking"

_Thinking/Memories/Flashbacks_

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**Super Emphasis**

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Morning struck, quite literally, Umbra in his face when the first beams of light filtered through the window on his face, warming him up. He soon woke because of this, but unlike most Darklings, he enjoyed sunlight, and light in general. In particular, he was fascinated by moonlight. Umbra reminisced the times he and Maya had when they were little. They would play in the yard, their parents watching them contently and smiling at each other and at them. Unfortunately, they never had one set place where they could have stayed since Umbra's and Maya's parents were refugees of the West Coast, from which they were driven as a result of poverty. In the West Coast, if you had no money, you had no place.

Umbra reminded himself of the times he used to be cheerful, happy, filled with joy and glee and other synonyms for the word "content". That is, however, broken apart when the day for his evolution came to pass. It was somewhat of a maturity rite for the Eevee line. To evolve was to devote oneself to a certain type of lifestyle, without question. Often enough the young Eevee got to choose what they would evolve into. Umbra had always been a happy Eevee, always dreaming of great adventure, amazing journeys and fearless heroics. He had always-

"GOOOOOD MORNING!" said guess who. Maya strutted into the room, unaware of Umbra's current trip down memory lane. She grabbed him by his ears and dragged him downstairs despite his constant expressions of refusal. She plopped him down on a small stool and sat herself across from Scion, whoc had prepared breakfast before either of them had even woken up. Scion gave Umbra an understanding little smile, to which Umbra replied with a simple nod. He then grabbed his plate between his teeth, got off his stool and sat in a far corner, eating alone.

"What's his deal?" asked Scion, trying to keep his voice down so Umbra wouldn't notice.

"Oh, he does this all the time. It's the whole Darkling thing, you know? Dark, gloomy atmosphere, no socializing, the whole bit. I'm used to it, and I understand why he does it. It wasn't his choice, entirely. Well, at all, real-", Maya quickly shut her mouth when she felt shivers go down her spinal cord. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Umbra, staring rather convincingly straight into her soul. Maya swore his stare could have curdled milk or crushed mountains. She was a loud mouth but she wasn't stupid, nor was she a bad friend. She had gone too far and now she was reminded of it. The rest of the breakfast was eaten in complete silence, minus the occasional noise made by a fork or knife colliding with the edge of a plate.

Maya helped Scion clean up and Umbra headed back upstairs, hoping for some peace and quiet. His hopes were quickly crushed, though, when Scion yipped: "I'm leaving for work and you two are following me to the police station. I may be hospitable but I want you two to check in with the authorities anyway." He put on his shaggy armor, grabbed his spear and led the two visitors outside. Maya nodded, Umbra groaned and they both followed Scion to the police's. He opened the wooden door and let them in, heading off to his duties, but not before saying: "I'll be at the gates if you need me." Maya and Umbra nodded in unison and then they turned to the reception desk. Behind it was a rather young-looking female Flareon who was wearing a copper badge that said: "RDPD – Auburn Nikita". Maya approached the desk and knocked on the glass between her and the Flareon, smiling friendlily. The Flareon, Auburn, opened the glass and gave her and Umbra a genuine, welcoming smile. Umbra tilted his head in confusion. _I though all police officers were mean and grumpy_, he thought to himself.

"Hello, love," Auburn greeted, "what brings you two here?"

"We're outsiders. We came in last night with one of your night guards, Scion. We were just passing by and needed a place to sleep and he was nice enough to let us in. He wanted us to check in with the local authorities, so here we are", Maya chirped, earning a nod from the Flareon. She turned her attention to Umbra, who had been silent for this entire time, trying to avoid conversation.

"And wha' about you, hun? I'd like your name, business here and how long you'll be stayin'", she chimed, catching Umbra off guard simply by addressing him.

"U-Uh… My name's Umbra. My business is simply that I'm looking for my sister, Melody. She's an Espeon. Might you have spotted her recently?"

"Sorry, hun. No sign a' an Espeon nor any other Eeveelution aside from me around here", she said apologetically, "now please, continue."

Umbra sighed, depressed. "I don't know how long we would stay. I would prefer to get going but truth is, we have little resources to go off of. The last of our food is gone, our money is little and we're both pretty tired, despite my co-traveler here not displaying it much", Umbra gestured toward Maya, who seemed as full of energy as a Spoink on a Sitrus Berry overdose. Umbra frowned, obviously doubting the Flareon would believe all that. But thankfully, she did, as shown by her friendly nod.

"Tell you what. You seem like good Pokémon. If you're not in a tail burnin' hurry, might you wanna stay in this here town for a while, helpin' out the townsfolk? There's been an awful big increase in citizens in need of help after those darn birds decided to make our poor lil' town their target. Pesky feathered freaks, I tell ya what!" Umbra and Maya looked at each other, initially confused but then came to.

"Well, as much as I hate admitting it, we have no clue on my sister's whereabouts whatsoever, so maybe by staying here for a while we might uncover something", said Umbra, after a moment of contemplation. Maya concurred, always willing to help those in need. And she would have more time to stay close to Scion… The Flareon, Auburn, got out from behind her desk and greeted the two. Her hand… Uh… Paw? Paw! Pawshake was surprisingly solid, almost knocking Maya off balance, making her squeal in terror. Umbra almost smiled at her antics, but stayed true to what he believed he should be, and didn't.

Auburn took Umbra and Maya for a short tour around the station. She passed the cells, which were mostly empty, only containing a drunken officer with his hat on a little weird, on the side rather than on top of his head. Auburn sighed.

"August, you darn drunkard." She opened the cell and shook the hung-over Zangoose awake, avoiding the vomit he soon produced, and slapping him in the back of the head. Hard. The Zangoose glared at her grumpily.

"Oi! What gives ya the right ta smack ol' August in the noggin'? I'll have ta report ya to the chief, I will!" He shook his claws at her but found it futile, Auburn merely laughing at his threats.

"Oh, dear old August. You're still the same. Never did quite let go of your pirate side, now did you? Come on, sit somewhere OUTSIDE the bars for once." Auburn led him out of the cell and onto a small bench meant for the guards who keep an eye on the prisoners. She went on with the tour, explaining briefly about whoever they passed.

"That's August, one of our best officers… When he's not wasted, that is. He's a former pirate of job, current pirate of heart. He's a good man, though a bit salty if you get on his bad side. Pun entirely intended, by the way." She laughed at her own joke, and Maya soon joined in. Umbra, though, was just waiting for the whole presentation to be over. All he wanted was some peace and quiet so he could-

"Heeey there, Auburn, pretty gal. What's with the entourage? Do I have competition?" said a uniform-clad Linoone with a strange, lightning-shaped scar on his left eye. He had a playful smirk and soon Auburn joined the smirking as well.

"You think you have competition even when there's no one around, Rod", she said, giving him a playful nudge. "Guys, this is Rod. He's my former mate. We had a bit of a disagreement and that whole thing fell apart but we're still good friends, eh buddy?" She tapped Rod's shoulder with her paw playfully, earning a genuine chuckle from him.

"Right. So yeah, name's Rod, though some of the ladies out there call me 'Hot Rod', know what I'm sayin'?" He earned some laughs around the office, spreading his arms so as to say: "Laugh it up, laugh it up." Auburn laughed the loudest. "You know I gave you that nickname, right? Don't go infringing my copyright, you hear?" The office boomed with laughter, making Maya join in. Umbra, however, was fighting back the urge to laugh along. He simply sat next to Maya, waiting for the noise to die down. Auburn wiped some happy tears out of her eyes and continued. "As you can clearly see, we're a big family here at RDPD. So, here's the rest of the people…" The introductions continued with Cara, a middle-age female Lopunny who had a knack for mysteries, the chief of the office, Luke, a Lucario about Cara's age and also Scion's father, much to Maya's surprise, and not so much to Umbra's. Next, and last, in line was lieutenant Surge, a Raichu older than Luke, and the founder of RDPD who had given up his position as chief to Luke but still served the law with a passion.

"And I'm Auburn, ya hear? Youngest of the cast but certainly not the least. I serve the law with my life and with my flames. I'd like to welcome you two to Rosedale Town on behalf of the RDPD – the Rosedale Police Department", the young Flareon said festively, finishing their side of the introduction.

After introductions on Maya and Umbra's side were done with as well, Maya approached Luke, the Lucario. She tapped his arm nervously.

"Um… Excuse me, Mr. Luke. But I would like to ask something about your son, Scion." Luke smiled warmly and sat down. He spoke with a rather deep, soothing voice.

"Ah, yes. Scion. So, what would it be?" Maya fumbled with her hands for a short while, obviously nervous. But eventually, she spat out: "I was just wondering why you didn't come home to him last night. You see, he was the one who took us into the town and let us stay. But you weren't there the whole evening or night." Luke nodded, understanding why this would confuse her.

"Well, the simple answer is… He lives alone. He prefers to live alone, in fact. He doesn't like me in particular." This answer left Maya in shock. She covered her mouth with her hands, he eyes soaked with tears, sobbing.

"Why doesn't he like you? You're his father!" Luke nodded again.

"You see… His mother died because of me." This, as one might imagine, put Maya in an even bigger shock. Luke quickly corrected the course and made sure she understood that he didn't kill his wife, he merely wasn't there in time. Maya sighed with relief and sat down.

"But… How could he hate you for something you couldn't control?" she asked him. Luke's eyes filled with past sadness. He shook his head, clearly indicating that he didn't want to talk. Maya understood, got up and soon she was outside the police station with Umbra, who was looking around nervously. Maya found this behavior a little suspicious and tapped him on the shoulder. This snapped Umbra awake from his state.

"W-what do you want?" he snapped quickly.

"You were just looking nervous. Never mind that now, though. What should we do next?" She was jumping up and down, waiting for Umbra to suggest something, anything. Umbra sighed at her enthusiasm, racked his brain for a moment and finally came out with an answer.

"Well, if we're going to continue our search for Melody, we better earn some money. So with that in mind, we should probably find jobs for ourselves. Do you agree?" Maya's intense head bobbing indicated a positive answer, which Umbra reluctantly accepted. He was getting tired of her constant happiness and lightheartedness. But he couldn't say that to her, she would break down. He knew she would. So he did what Umbreon are designed to do: he endured. That's all he had done since he evolved. He had endured whatever was sent his way. And he would continue to do so. He would continue to endure. He would endure the work, he would endure the search, and he would even endure all the pain he might receive throughout the journey. All this… Yet no seeming reward at the end. As far as Umbra knew, Melody had ran off of her own accord. And if so, she wouldn't come back with him. She would stay wherever she was. She would… No. _I may be a Darkling, but I refuse to adopt their grim way of thinking_, Umbra decided. He would bring Melody back home. No matter what.

The grand glass doors of a large balcony opened wide, a sea of peasants and other commoners foaming below, eager to welcome whoever was to come to the balcony to give a speech. This was Central Dion, the grand square of the city of Dion, the capital of the region. Out of the doors walked out a shady figure with his grey, cloth-like body dressed in a navy blue jacket and pants, complete with shining, black shoes. He carried multiple rings of various precious metals, each complete with a jewel on top like a gargantuan cherry on top of a delicious cake. He walked with a small limp in his stride, a sleek and fetching Servine at his side. Asper, the Servine, ushered her husband, Marlo, the Banette, forward to stir excitement in his people. He was, after all, their president.

Marlo stepped forth, raising one of his hands, silencing the folk in one instant. First, when he spoke, only loud mumbling could be heard. The people frowned and scowled, finding this sort of start for a speech strange. After a short while, Asper approached Marlo, gently pulled the zipper, which was his mouth, open. She whispered something in his ear and giggled. Marlo thanked her briefly and continued.

"Well, now that my voice has been released from its prison by my lovely companion, I, Marlo, your president, wish to inform you, the people, of a new project the government and I are working on in close cooperation. This project, while still in its baby phases, is sure to herald new heights for us normal Pokémon! Have you ever wished to live, say, near forever? Has age or aging become a glaring issue for you? Well, we have the answer to your prayers! We have developed technology to extend a Pokémon's life span, and to almost halt its aging process! We have, in theory, finally crafted the Fountain of Youth! Albeit mechanical and dependent on a constant energy supply." This piece of news caused stirring in the crowds. But to Marlo's ears, it was pure music. Music that played to his beat. He was the conductor and the people were the instruments that he commanded. He grinned, his goal reached. He raised his hand once again, silencing the crowds.

"I understand you have millions of questions that are begging to be answered. But be at peace, for they will be answered shortly. We are making rapid progress and our executives all around the region are researching information on Pokémon with naturally long life spans, such as Ninetales and Absol. As soon as we can uncover their secrets, we will be able to implement those attributes into any species of Pokémon! We can promise you longer and healthier lives! You will look like you do now when you are quadrupled in age! Thank you, and I hope to continue to have your support!" With that, Marlo entered his mansion, leaving the crowd dumbfounded, though most of them seemed very excited about this project. News reporters everywhere were reporting on the subject, allowing these news to reach any corner of the region_. Just what would come of this Fountain of Youth? _Umbra wondered as he watched the news on a small television in the job application center.

**Soooooooo? How's the second chapter? I would like to hear all your opinions on it, so review! Review like your tail is on fire and reviewing is the only thing that can extinguish it!**


	3. Chapter 3: Plotting Perfection

Hello, everyone! This is Umbrocity, or Lonely Riolu if you didn't notice the pen name change. Here's another chapter of _Slayer of Gods_! Enjoy!

**Chapter 3:** **Plotting Perfection**

Narration

"Talking"

_Thinking/Memories/Flashbacks_

**Emphasis**

**Super Emphasis**

**_Super-duper-emphasis_**

**_What the hell does caretaker mean?_****wondered Umbra, glancing back and forth the list of available work in Rosedale Town, which he still found to be more of a city than a town. He had not come to a conclusion, and wouldn't come any closer until a certain familiar, puffy mass of fur appeared next to him, offering him a warm smile. Umbra didn't bother returning the smile, trying to act too busy to acknowledge Auburn's presence. She had come after him, her day having come to an end and willing to help the Umbreon and his Kirlia friend to find something to earn their living by. While Auburn wasn't too hostile in any sense of the word, she did have a temper typical of most Fire-type Pokémon when angered. She didn't exactly appreciate Umbra's ignoring her and she wasn't going to let it go unfixed. She gave him a not-so-light surprise smack to the face with her front paw. Umbra's head was thrown back slightly and his cheek was left with a dark red bruise.**

**"****Um… Ow", Umbra said, putting on his best mocking/indifferent tone, rubbing his cheek as if just trying to fix his fur. The smack he had received had hurt but he wasn't going to show it. Auburn beamed at him with a mixture of frustration and anger, basically forcing him to realize she was there and upset. Umbra sighed, realizing there was no way out of this that didn't involve either talk or a hospital trip his empty wallet wouldn't appreciate.**

**"****What is it, Auburn?" he asked as politely as he could manage, considering she had just smacked him. Auburn scoffed almost condescendingly.**

**"****You're askin' what it is? Well, IT is that I was here to help you pick out a job and you gave me the air treatment! I don't exactly appreciate that kind of stuff", she said, switching into a more deliberative tone of voice, not wanting to spark a bad relationship between them. Umbra, on the other hand, grimaced and turned back to the job list.**

**"****I don't recall asking for help. If I need any, I will do so. I…" He turned back to Auburn, a stern expression plastered on his face. "… I appreciate the concern but I should be able to pick my own work", he said, almost sounding sarcastic, but a certain gloominess still prominent in his speaking. Auburn nodded but didn't leave.**

**"****I understand. But I'd still wish to help you, if you'll let me. After all, you're not from around here, so you might need someone who can get you used to local customs and such", Auburn argued.**

**"****I suppose that makes sense. Damn it, why do females always make such good points?" Umbra joked, earning a chuckle from Auburn.**

**"****It's because we've got something you males don't: a brain", she countered, nearly making Umbra smirk. She didn't know it, but that alone was an accomplishment worth relishing. Umbra let her help find him some work and soon he was out of the building, having accepted a job offer as a caretaker. Maya soon followed with an application for an assisting healer's job in hand. Auburn chuckled at Maya's enthusiasm and Umbra's content air, and soon she headed home, a hot bath being all that filled her mind. Little did she know, however, that a pair of ominous eyes followed her from the high window of a large mansion-type building. A raspy yet youthful voice sounded within the room.**

**"****I want to know everything about those two new Pokémon, and the Flareon as well. As mayor, I wish to know EVERYTHING that goes on in this town, and I haven't been informed of any new townsfolk", it said, addressing the three shadowy figures at the door on the other side of the room. One saluted, one nodded and one rubbed its paws together.**

**"****Yes, sir!" said the first one, his voice youthful and loyal. He was tall and thin, but his hips were unnaturally wide. His arms resembled blades and his head was akin to a Spartan helmet.**

**"****Consider it done, milord", said the second one, her voice full of menace but also an odd, seductive tone. Her ears were long and fluffy and her paws were covered with similar, fluffy, pale fur.**

**"****We'll find out eeeeeeverything…" said the third, his voice old and trembling. His long, red claws looked sharp enough to slice through steel, and his long, flowing hair, colored black and crimson, emphasized his evil grin. He had a foxlike build.**

**The mayor turned to his henchmen, grinning devilishly. He had a slick, green torso and a long, leaf-like appendage that started at the top of his head. His hands had two similar leaf-like appendages each, just shorter, and he was wearing a pale blue dress suit and pants. His head was reptilian and he had a cigar in his mouth. He waved his hand and the three figures exited the room. The mayor sat back on his arm chair, stubbing out the cigar on an ash tray. He opened a magazine that had a very enticing Servine on the front page. He sighed with satisfaction and returned the magazine in its drawer.**

**"****Soon, my love. Soon. So swears Marre the Grovyle…" he muttered before shutting the curtains and returning to his paperwork.**

**Auburn arrived at her house and opened the door. She sighed with relief when she closed it, having survived another day at that crazy police station. She shed her police attire, which consisted of an officer's cap and the cyan ribbon that said "RDPD – Rosedale Police Department" as well as the copper badge that said the same thing. ****_As if the force didn't make themselves clear enough with just either one_****, the Flareon thought to herself. She was rather new at the job but she hadn't joined the police just like that. She had gone through straining training programs and education those with weak minds would never consider. But she had done it. Sometimes she wondered why. It would've been much easier to just inherit her father's grocery stand and live a quiet life with no hassle and no worries. But she wasn't that kind of person. She wanted, craved even, adventure, excitement and blood-pumping situations that made one's heart pound feverishly.**

**Auburn left the water running, dropping a few soap bubbles in the tub, which soon filled with purifying foam that would wash away all the day's stress. Oh, how she longed to hop in the water, regardless of being a Fire-type. Oh, she couldn't wait for the relaxing, ecstatic sensation of the-**

**There was a knock at the door. Auburn groaned very audibly and stopped the water, hoping that it would stay warm until she got rid of whoever was at the door. She didn't care if it was the chief, the mayor… It could have been the man of her damn dreams, but if they disturbed her daily bath time, oh she would shove their business up their-**

**"****Hiya, Auby!" chimed a familiar, friendly voice as Auburn opened the door. Her close friend, Nady, a Lopunny, was at the door. Auburn's frustration vanished instantly. Nady was the nicest person she could imagine, hands down. She was always so understanding and helpful. A bit of a coquette, maybe, but the Flareon considered that Nady's way of having fun. The Lopunny strode in, gushing over Auburn's newest door decoration, which was a bell common among Eeveelution mothers, but often used as an accessory for the cubs rather than a door decoration. Nady sat on the couch, soon to be joined by Auburn.**

**"****I didn't come at a bad time, did I?" Nady asked politely, wishing not to inconvenience her bestie. Auburn shook her head slightly, though her eyes gave away her real answer.**

**"****No, not at all, Nady. I was just about to take a bath but that can wa-"she was cut off by Nady, who gasped in exaggerated, yet apologetic, surprise.**

** "****Ohmigosh, no! A girl needs her bath time, Auby! You take your time, I'll be back in… How long do you need, hun?" Nady said frantically.**

**"****Nady, stop", Auburn said, humored by her friend's reaction, "I'll just take a bath later. You came by for something, right? You're not one for simply hanging out." Nady giggled at Auburn's modesty. She was not surprised that she could read her so well. She wasn't exactly a mysterious bunny.**

**"****Ok, ya got me, Auby. I just happened to see you with a couple of unfamiliar faces today. Were they your friends, or were they somethin' else?" Nady inquired, not wanting to push the matter if Auburn didn't.**

**"****Oh, those two! The Umbreon and Kirlia. Yeah, they're new in town, came in last night. One of the guards let them in. I think it was Scion, the little Riolu? What about them?" Auburn explained. Nady's face was now one of interest and, just for a second, of malice.**

**"****Sooo… Do you know what they're doing here? You know, 'cause I'm a journalist and I need to let the townsfolk know what's going on with this place", she justified her further interest in Umbra and Maya.**

**"****Nady, you don't have to justify wanting to know about new people, not to me. You know I'd tell you anything", Auburn reassured her friend, "They came in last night because they didn't have a place to sleep, so Scion, a night guard let them in. They say they're looking for the Umbreon's sister, an Espeon named Melody. The Umbreon said they won't stay for long, though, so I don't know how important it is for the town to know. They'll just do some work in town, earn some money and then they'll be off. But if you think it's important to put this on the paper, then I won't ask." Nady was memorizing everything Auburn said and was getting hungry for more. But she couldn't show that to Auburn. The Flareon would think it was weird.**

**"****So… What did you say their names were?" she asked, trying to hide her thirst for more information.**

**"****I didn't. The Umbreon's name is Umbra and the Kirlia is Maya. Is that all you need?" Auburn replied, half willing to help her friend, half eager to get to her bath. Nady nodded, not wanting to push too far, as that could seem suspicious, even to her trusting friend.**

**"****That's all. Thanks, dear. You're a real friend. This'll make a great side story for Rosedaily", she chirped and made her exit with wishes of a good, long bath. Auburn sighed in relief, finally at peace to return to her bath. But when she checked the water's temperature, it had cooled down. She sighed, this time in aggravation, and lit up the coals under the tub, warming the water back up in seconds. She climbed in the tub, finally sinking into the relaxing euphoria of foam and hot water. Her thoughts focused on Umbra. **_**I wonder how that Umbreon will take to handling kits…**_** she mused, but soon found herself free of any worry and stress, thanks to her bath's relaxing effects.**

**In the president's mansion in Dion, Marlo the Banette was busy at work, nearly buried under all the paperwork a president had. Even with all his assistants at work, helping him from neighboring rooms via an intercom, he had too much work for his cloth-like fingers to bear. He soon took a short break, collapsing on the bed, exhausted by a full day of writing and making calls. He had one last call to make, though: to the leading scientist of Project Eternal Life. He picked himself up and slowly wandered to his desk, picking up his phone and dialing the number. Soon enough a rather old-sounding voice answered.**

**"****Ah, hello Mr. President. Good of you to call me. How is everything at the mansion?" the voice asked, more out of etiquette than actual interest. Marlo sighed.**

**"****My hands burn… Too much writing for one day. But after this call I'll be free, for now. Tomorrow's going to be no less painful, I'm sure. Being the president of the entire nation is hard on one's fingers. But straight to the point now: how is Project Eternal Life coming along?"**

**"****It's coming along smoothly", the voice replied, "and we have come across an interesting development. Not only does the prototype extend the life span of the subject, it also energizes it and enhances its abilities. The only drawback we still face is that the subjects seem resilient and unwilling to obey our commands. We are having trouble restraining them after the process is complete." Marlo nodded as if the person at the other end could see or feel it. He sat down behind his desk, tapping his fingers on the oaken surface.**

**"****I think, my good Olvid, that the best way of handling that problem is, at this time, Hypnosis. Put them to sleep and close them up in a cage that can hold them. It's not like they'll resist for long. Your team will find a solution soon, I'm sure", the Banette stated and then ended the call with a brief goodbye, placing the phone on the desk, face down. He rose from his seat, wobbled over to his bed and collapsed on it, still clad in his suit. He was sound asleep, finally free of the day's worries. He could relax, if only for a few hours.**

**Marlo's wife, Asper the Servine, came in to check on her husband, and found him sleeping. She smirked, satisfied to know that he had been hard at work. She exited the room, headed downstairs and entered her own room, immediately greeted by the strong scent of perfume and an assortment of different flowers. The room was elegant, even stylish, holding all the latest elements of fashion and bling in it, reaching from the most expensive jewelry to the most top-of-the-line fur coats. She took a small remote in her delicate hands and pressed the power button, activating a large screen on the back wall. A Pokémon's face popped on screen. It was very reptilian and had a cigar in its mouth. Once the figure stepped forward the unmistakable face of a Grovyle revealed itself. He removed the cigar from his mouth, uttering a whistle one would use to catch the attention of a fetching lady. Asper smirked, glad to see her associate once again.**

**"****Good evening, Marre. It's been too long, hasn't it?" she greeted, her voice more flirty and energetic than when she spoke with Marlo. Marre, the Grovyle, hummed and nodded slightly.**

**"****It has, milady, it has indeed. But I see all this time makes you all the more beautiful. Maybe we should see each other more scarcely. No, I merely jest", he answered, keeping a playful yet business-like tone in his voice. Asper grimaced, however, as she wished to get to business.**

**"****All in good time, Marre. What news have you for me?" she inquired. Marre gave her a fake disappointed look.**

**"****As direct as ever, I see. Everything is going swimmingly on my end. The town has been under aviary attacks recently. I assume that is not a coincidence?" he inquired, knowing her answer already.**

**"****Yes, those are indeed my servants doing their work. I trust their distraction has been sufficient?"**

**"****Yes, milady, it has. The guards have been too busy defending the town or mending the walls to pay close attention to the shipments leaving and entering the village. The items I've received are quite intriguing, by the way."**

**"****They should be. They're components of an early prototype my husband's scientists are working on. He has them working day and night, and the development they've reached is quite impressive. Not only prolonging a Pokémon's life, but also enhancing its abilities… Think of how powerful a Pokémon could become with that kind of technology", the Servine mused, fascinated by the potential results.**

**"****Yes, and that's why it's good that we hold it in our palms. Don't worry, the town is well protected against actual threats, so the components will be safe with me. I'm glad to have your husband's 'cooperation'", Marre mentioned. Asper nodded and they soon ended the video call with a good night's wish and some slightly indecent conversation. Asper lay down on her bed, quivering with excitement over what she was so close to achieving. Just as long as Marlo continued to cooperate and nothing went wrong on Marre's end, nothing would get in her way.**

I've been wondering something. Do you think the length of these chapters is good? Are they too long, are they too short? Let me know if you review, which I would really appreciate. I noticed just today how much a review can help me write. It makes me much more willing to write when I know someone is enjoying my story and wants more soon. Now that I have a lot of free time because I'm not in high school anymore, I will be able to write a chapter in one or two days. So as long as I have motivation and support from whoever is reading this, the story will progress very quickly!

So please, do _**REVIEW!**_


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